Suitability
by OfCourseIAm
Summary: Iyo decides that Shizuku's wardrobe needs major work done in order for Shizuku to be suitable for her brother.


**A/N:** This is another part of of the A Girl Who's Too Domestic series, featuring Iyo and Shizuku and a lot of shopping. It takes place a week or two after Shizuku moves in with Kenji. I hope you all like it! Please review!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun/My Little Monster.

* * *

Iyo pressed the intercom button for Kenji's condo, then waited. Of course, she knew that Kenji was out of town right now with their father, so there was no chance that he would be there. But she'd gotten out of Natsume that Shizuku should be home, and since her home was now with Iyo's brother…

"Hello?" Shizuku's voice came out.

"Hi, it's Iyo!"

"Oh, Iyo, Kenji isn't here."

Iyo smiled. "I know. I'm here for you."

A pause. "Why?"

Ugh. Of course she would have to ask. "It's important. Besides, isn't it time for us to have some sisterly bonding time? Just come down."

"You've never wanted to hang out with me."

Iyo sighed. "Yeah, but you've never been dating my brother before."

"Yes, I have. For several months."

"I know that now. Kenji told us like two days ago, though."

Another pause. "So what did you want to do?"

Iyo bounced on the balls of her feet. "Just come down and I'll tell you!"

"I'll be down in a minute."

Iyo breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't planned what to do if Shizuku didn't come down. Perhaps recruit Natsume to help her? She knew Natsume still wanted Shizuku to get back together with Haru, though.

Shizuku soon appeared at the doors. She'd lost the horrid pigtails from high school, but she still wore the same sort of unfashionable coat and muffler. Iyo forced a smile. She had a lot of work to do.

"What are we doing?" Shizuku asked once they were outside.

Iyo reached over and took Shizuku's hand tightly in her own. "Iyo is going to fix your fashion sense."

"No." The hand was yanked out of Iyo's.

Iyo stopped and turned to cross her arms at the other girl. "It didn't matter when you were dating Haru because it just helped Iyo's chances. But if you're going to date Iyo's brother, you must at least not embarrass him in public."

"If Kenji had a problem with how I dress, he would let me know himself."

"Brother is happy with you." Iyo made a face. "He forgives your fashion sense. But you dress like you're his grandmother."

Shizuku flushed slightly. "I don't waste mone-"

"You're a lawyer with a wealthy boyfriend!" Iyo retorted. "It's your duty to spend money on clothes. Besides," she added, "Kenji mentioned that our parents want to meet you, right?"

Shizuku nodded.

"Do you want their impression to be that brother is dating a grandmother, or do you want them to think you're a nice girl who's suitable to date their son?"

The silence was the exact answer Iyo wanted.

"So you need at least one outfit for dinner with our parents," Iyo declared gleefully, and took Shizuku's hand again. "And Iyo can help you find it."

This time Shizuku let Iyo tug her along. Unfortunately, the place Iyo wanted was a ten minute walk from her brother's condo. They were quite cold by the time they arrived, but Iyo was glad she'd checked that this place was open.

It was really just a couple of expensive boutiques in the same building, lacking even the same feeling as a regular mall. Although Iyo would have rather explored a mall, the benefit of these stores was that the clerks were very experienced at aiding difficult clients, including finding their sizes and making sure they got the right clothes to fit their body.

It was such a perfect place that Shizuku halted again. "Iyo, these places are overpriced," she hissed.

"No, they are high quality," Iyo said, and pulled Shizuku into their first destination.

"Ah, Miss Yamaguchi!" The salesperson, Keiko, welcomed her with a smile. "Looking for anything in particular? Or would you like to see our newest arrivals?"

Iyo pushed Shizuku in front of her, ignoring the glare. "She needs to look decent," Iyo said. "She should have at least one nice dress and a nice casual outfit."

Keiko glanced up and down Shizuku, a slight frown on her face. "I see. Could you take off your coat, please, miss? I can help you find your size…"

"Show them to me, not to her," Iyo said.

"I can choose my own clothes," Shizuku snapped at her.

Iyo pointedly looked her up and down. "Clearly not."

Shizuku glared at her, but took off her coat. Keiko hung it on one of the coat hooks and went off in search of clothes.

Once Shizuku was trying on clothes, Keiko leaned over to her. "So… makeover?" she whispered.

Iyo smiled. "She's brother's girlfriend," she whispered back.

Keiko's eyes widened. "Your brother is dating that?"

"I know," Iyo said. "That's why I had to get her something to wear." She sighed. "Iyo will have to try hard to get her outfitted decently."

Then Shizuku came out, looking beautiful in a dress that she hated, and they had to set upon convincing her that fashion was a valid investment.

Taking Shizuku shopping was a pain, Iyo decided by the time they were done with that store. She was so frugal, and had absolutely no eye for what was fashionable or looked good on her. The key seemed to be to talk about how much brother would like it, instead of how cute Shizuku herself looked. Iyo shook her head. Shizuku was so backwards.

As they exited the boutique, Iyo took a deep breath. Honestly, you'd think that for what she did for brother, he would be nicer to her. She took Shizuku's wrist. "Okay, Shizuku. We have several outfits, and that's good, but we need to finish accessorizing both inside and out."

Shizuku blinked at her. "Inside and out?"

"You need shoes and a coat, at the very least. And then, what about when you take off the clothes for brother?"

"For him?"

Iyo sighed. "To… you know…"

Shizuku turned bright red. "I- I don't think that's coming soon, Iyo."

And what type of girl wasn't jumping at the chance to have sex with brother? "Perhaps not. But when it does come, you'll want something sexy. And I doubt you have real lingerie."

Shizuku's blank look was its own answer, so Iyo tugged her into the lingerie store.

Although Iyo reflected on if Kenji had ever said something indicative of his taste in lingerie, in the end she asked the attendant to get Shizuku a variety of comfortable sexy lingerie that would look good to a young man with fashion sense. Shizuku rejected Iyo's offer to look over the choices in the dressing room, so Iyo shopped for herself while she waited.

She was pleasantly surprised when the lingerie Shizuku chose looked cute and sexy. Perhaps she was improving with Iyo's insightful guidance.

Shizuku shook her head once they left that store. "Iyo, I have work to do and I'm tired. I'm going home."

"No!" Iyo said, and grabbed her. It wasn't like she was going to ever get Shizuku shopping again. "You wanted to make a good impression on my parents, right? They'll see your coat and shoes first." Shizuku's face fell. "Come on, shopping for these will be faster than the other two stores."

She pulled her into the store with coats first. "Black or white," she told Shizuku. "Check with me if it's any other color." Hopefully the freedom would cheer the other girl up. Shopping with her was such a drag. Iyo sighed and leaned against the wall. She needed to ask Natsume to check out that new mall with her, or maybe one of the girls from her sorority.

"Iyo." Shizuku held up a black coat.

Iyo pushed off the wall and reached for the coat, inspecting it. A good material, of course, given where they were, and a good brand. Stylish enough, though certainly on the bland side. Iyo sighed. It seemed like something one of the trendy grandmothers that came to these shops would buy.

"Put it on," she ordered.

Shizuku gave her a dark look, but slid the coat over her shoulders. Ugh. Everything looked frumpy with Shizuku's normal ensemble. If she squinted, she supposed that given the outfits Shizuku had bought earlier, it would match well enough. It would look okay next to most of Kenji's outfits too.

"Buy it," Iyo said. Shizuku took the coat off and shuffled off to the cash register. Even the way she walked was plain…

How had Kenji ever fallen for this girl? Iyo watched as Shizuku paid for the coat. So unfashionable. Plain. Boring. She said exactly what she meant, and always sat so rigidly and awkwardly. Kenji was the opposite. He was fashionable, cool… for all that he threatened Iyo, she could look up to her brother to some extent.

There was absolutely nothing about Shizuku that Iyo could admire.

"Just shoes now?" Shizuku asked as she returned to Iyo.

"Just shoes," Iyo confirmed. Then she would call Natsume and set up a proper shopping trip. She really hadn't shopped in too long. This terrible little taste just made her want it more.

At the shoe store, Iyo at least could admire the goods, even though Shizuku rejected all the good ones. They were on the last pair when Shizuku's phone started ringing and she reached for her purse.

"Not now. We're almost done." Iyo shoved the next box onto Shizuku's lap. The other girl still took out the phone and checked the caller ID.

"It's Kenji," she said to Iyo. "Hello?"

Iyo bit her lip and glanced away.

"Oh, Iyo dragged me shopping," Shizuku said. "Yes, it's rather annoying. Hm? I can be home soon. Sure. Iyo?"

Iyo had been examining a bright red pair of heels, but now she glanced up. Shizuku held the phone out to her. "Kenji wants to talk to you."

Iyo slowly put the phone to her ear. "...Brother?"

"Iyo." She wilted at his tone. Here she'd hoped he'd be grateful to her. "I came home early, expecting to spend time with my girlfriend, only to find that she isn't here because you dragged her shopping."

"Sorry," Iyo mumbled. "I was trying to help."

"With what?"

Iyo gasped. "Brother must see how horrible it is! Iyo can't allow brother to continue being seen with Shizuku dressing like that!"

"Don't talk about her like that," Kenji replied coolly. "Stop trying to help, Iyo. You're failing."

"Mother and Father will-"

"Accept her regardless of her fashion choices, because she's my girlfriend. Bring her home, Iyo."

"But, brother-"

"Now."

Iyo cringed. "Yes, brother." She closed the phone and handed it back to Shizuku. "It's time to go."

Shizuku set the phone back inside her purse, but didn't get up. She blinked up at Iyo. "But I still need to finish trying on this pair of shoes."

Iyo sighed. "You don't have to. Apparently brother is fine with your fashion sense."

Shizuku shrugged and pulled one of the shoes on. "These feel more comfortable than the last pair."

Ten minutes later, Shizuku decided to buy two pairs of shoes. Iyo couldn't have been more proud. She even helped Shizuku carry the bags back to Kenji's condominium.

Outside the door, Iyo handed the rest of the bags to Shizuku.

"You don't want to say hi to Kenji?" Shizuku asked.

Iyo shook her head hurriedly. "Definitely not."

Shizuku smiled. "Okay. Well… goodbye Iyo. Today didn't suck as much as I thought it would."

Iyo blushed. "Thanks. And, Shizuku, another suggestion?"

Shizuku tilted her head as she stared blankly at Iyo.

"Don't tell Kenji about the lingerie. Just suddenly be wearing it." She winked at Shizuku. "The surprise will make it even better."

The other girl's face immediately hit a shade of red deeper than Iyo's. "I- um- okay." She turned away and opened the door into the condominium. "Bye."

Iyo smiled. "Bye, Shizuku."

Shizuku was certainly a failure in most aspects of her life. Fashion, personality, everything except her luck in men. Somehow she got all the attractive ones. But, Iyo thought to herself, perhaps she had at least improved slightly on Shizuku's fashion sense.

If it made Shizuku an ounce more suitable for her brother, it was a good thing.


End file.
